Atlanta Falcons, Ian Cunningham
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Falcons GM Ian Cunningham.
From the sound of things, it looks like new Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham is going to have his work cut out for him in his first season.
Cunningham addressed the media on February 24 while attending the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. While the headline was the news of Kirk Cousins’ scheduled release, Cunningham had much more to say than just that.
Like many general managers in attendance, Cunningham was there to scout for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft in April — and he didn’t hold back when discussing the team’s approach now and moving forward.
Falcons GM Ian Cunningham Makes Draft Philosophy Clear
The Falcons currently have just five picks heading into the draft. That’s also the same number they finished with last season. Cunningham made it clear he doesn’t intend for that to become the norm.
“This is the last time we will ever have five picks,” Cunningham told 93.9 The Game. “It’s important for us to have swings at the plate.”
Josh Kendall
Atlanta GM Ian Cunningham tells @929TheGame that “this is the last time we will ever have five picks. It’s important for us to have swings at the plate.”
That comment was more or less a direct shot at the previous regime under then-general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris, who traded away this year’s first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in order to move up to No. 26 overall last year.
That selection was used on James Pearce Jr., who may not even remain on the roster long term pending the outcome of his legal situation.
“Falcons GM Ian Cunningham has made it clear he is a big fan of having draft picks. In 2022, his first draft with the Chicago Bears, they started with six picks and finished with 11,” Falcons staff writer Will McFadden noted.
Cunningham said he learned “to use every method as humanly possible in order to manufacture picks.”
We’ll see just how creative the new Falcons general manager can get by the end of April in adding to that total. However, the most difficult part will be finding a way back into the first round, which currently seems unlikely. Atlanta’s first selection isn’t scheduled until the second round at No. 48 overall.
Falcons Eyeing Key Position in 2026 Draft
Once you get past when the Falcons will be drafting, the next question becomes who they will be targeting.
The most pressing needs for Atlanta appear to be wide receiver, defensive tackle and cornerback.
Cunningham acknowledged that wide receiver is a “premium position” and said the team is “definitely going to make sure we evaluate the receivers” in this year’s class.
Will McFadden
Falcons GM Ian Cunningham called wide receiver a “premium position” and said he is “definitely going to make sure we evaluate the receivers” in this draft class.
Part of that urgency may stem from uncertainty surrounding Darnell Mooney after an injury-plagued and underwhelming 2025 season.
“That’s another thing that we’re working through right now, and we’ll decide that here shortly,” The Athletic’s Josh Kendall reported.
The Falcons could save $12 million in salary cap space with a post-June 1 release of Mooney.
Unless Atlanta finds a way back into the first round, most of the top-tier receiving prospects will likely be off the board. That said, there should still be quality options available in the second round.
One name frequently mentioned is Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., whom Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport said could “fit the bill” as a potential replacement for Mooney.